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“The idea has always been to have a ‘Canadian’ restaurant serving Indian food. (The) Tich team is just like Canada, diverse in cultural backgrounds,” says first-time restaurateur Karan Kalia.

Sign of the times

Teal, as seen in the marquee sign, is a stylish accent colour in the owner’s design. (J.P. MOCZULSKI)

Kalia, from Delhi, took a leap of faith a year ago to leave advertising and open Tich, Punjabi for “cool.”

She designed the restaurant herself, choosing the teal signage and white dinnerware. She hired veteran chefs willing to modernize Indian dishes. Her cocktails promise an Indian twist, such as a Cosmo ($11.95) with minimal rose syrup.

Tich is busy even on a recent Tuesday, drawing customers from nearby lakefront condos.

Tandoori dreams

A hot tandoor oven does right by lamb chops. That and the mild fenugreek coating. (J.P. MOCZULSKI)

It’s easy to see the appeal of lamb chops blasted in the tandoor helmed by Mandy Jawle, formerly of Michelin-starred Junoon in Manhattan. The double-thick chops are an appetizer ($17.95), coated in a mild red paste that hints at fenugreek.

Puffy, pliable naan ($2.95) emerge from the same clay oven as does the minty green chili blast of tender chicken tikka ($12.95).

Then there’s the whole sea bream ($26.95). Like most dishes here, it comes garnished with coriander seedlings and spiralized beets. The fish has been seasoned with anise-like ajwain seeds before crisping in the 400F heat. The white flesh is firm and mild, a good foil for a gingery mustard sauce.

Curries are made by Sujoy Saha (ex-Indian Rice Factory) and served in French onion soup bowls. What’s inside, though, is very much Indian, evident in every crunch of cardamom, fennel and coriander seed.

Butter chicken ($16.95) has loads of ginger in the complex cream sauce. Lamb korma ($17.95) is so thick with ground almonds that it’s halfway to badam halwa. There’s the lovely richness of spiced ghee in the yellow dal ($11.95) while flavourful saag paneer ($13.95) would give steak house creamed spinach a run for the money.

Snappy asparagus spears in an Indian restaurant? Call me astonished. Yet there they are, along with warm cherry tomatoes, caramelized cauliflower, soft mushrooms and tiny peas in jalfrezi vegetables ($12.95). Would that the mushy onions bhaji ($7.95) and bland eggplant ($13.95) were half as good.

Taking care

Rose and pistachio kulfi (ice cream) are the best of Tich’s purchased desserts. The lack of homemade sweets is its biggest culinary failing. (J.P. MOCZULSKI)

Tich’s weak spot — aside from its purchased desserts — is service. If improved, Tich would rate at least a half-star more.

Floor staff seem overwhelmed and distracted, neglecting to take drink orders and refill water glasses. Diners have to remind them to bring their orders of naan and rice. One night’s meal delay is explained (tandoor malfunction) but no goodwill gesture follows.

“We’ve had our issues,” Kalia acknowledges.

I think of Bombay on the Lake down the road, where the owner gives my daughter a Popsicle just for being there. Such warmth balances out the adequate food and dated decor. Pretty and tasty aren’t everything.

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